1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gaming machines and more particularly to a dual action door arrangement which provides improved access to the interior of gaming machines for in-situ maintenance while enabling gaming machines to be placed closer together to optimize the number of gaming machines that can be placed in a given area on a casino or other gambling facility floor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of gaming machines are known. Since such gaming machines require service from time to time, access is known to be provided in the front of the machine to enable in-situ maintenance and repair of the gaming machine. Such access doors limit the number of gaming machines that can be placed in a given area in a casino or other gambling facility floor. In particular, in some known gaming machines the lower front portion of the gaming machine housing is hinged on one end and acts as the access door to the interior of the gaming machine. Since the lower front housing portion of such gaming machines normally carry the gaming controls for playing the game, such access doors require a substantial amount of clearance in order to provide full access to the interior of the gaming machine. As such, gaming machines with such configurations must be spaced apart to provide sufficient access thus decreasing the number of gaming machines that can be placed on a casino floor. Thus, there is a need to provide access to the interior of a gaming machine which optimizes the number of gaming machines that can be placed on a given area on a casino floor while providing full access to the interior of the machine.
A gaming machine may include a housing that may have first and second side housing portions, a top housing portion, a bottom housing portion and a front housing portion. The gaming machine may also include a plurality of telescoping members associated with the housing. The front housing portion may be coupled to the plurality of telescoping members and adapted to slide between a closed position and an open position. The gaming machine may also include a video display associated with the housing and adapted to display video gambling game images, a value accepting device associated with the housing and adapted to receive value to be wagered on an outcome of a video gambling game and a control panel associated with the housing and adapted to allow a user to control play of the video gambling game. be placed closer together, thus optimizing the number of gaming machines that can be placed in a given area of a casino or other gambling facility floor.